Cranston Print Works' clock tower moved in Webster

An enduring town symbol completed a 300-foot mechanized crawl to a new home Monday, not far from where it proudly stood for 137 years.

And — no surprise — everything went like clockwork.

The historic brick-and-mortar clock tower at the former Cranston Print Works at 2 Worcester Road began its relocation process shortly after noon yesterday, heading to its new home at the intersection of Routes 12 and 16.

The clock tower will be part of a park that will overlook East Village Square, a retail center on Worcester Road that will be the home of a new Price Chopper, Panera Bread and an additional 3,000-square-feet of retail space.

Auburn-based Galaxy Development LLC purchased a parcel at the Cranston Print Works Co. facility in January for $2.75 million.

Stan Wildes, from Stan’s Granite State Building Movers of Atkinson, N.H., explained how four eight-wheeled power dollies placed under the clock tower moved the tower (by remote control) down a dirt path and then placed it on top of its new foundation. From there, the tower will be built back up.

The three-story clock tower was moved minus its first story because of disrepair, Mr. Wildes said. But, he said, the clock tower will be restored to its original grandeur, using the original bricks taken from the bottom.

“The first story wasn’t worth moving,” Mr. Wildes said. “It was three stories. It will be three stories again.”

It took about two hours to move the clock tower 300 feet to the new location.

Mr. Wildes said keeping the clock tower level through transport was key to a successful operation.

“It’s just like you see on “Mega Movers,” Mr. Wildes said.

In addition to the clock tower, the monument for Samuel S. Slater (1768-1835), the “founder of America’s cotton industry and of the town of Webster,” will be moved to the new park.

Nigel Doyle, project manager for Galaxy Development and a Webster resident, said it’s important to keep the clock tower because it is a significant symbol to the town.

“The clock tower has been here since 1875,” Mr. Doyle said. “It’s what you see when you’re entering in the town. It’s also a part of what Cranston Print Works used to be. A lot of people dedicated their lives working at this place.”

The original mill at the Worcester Road location was called Sprague Print Works. After the Civil War, ownership passed to BB & R. Knight. The Knight Corp. licensed and operated the mill under the “Fruit of the Loom” trademark.

In 1920, William G. Rockefeller interests bought the Knight plant and reorganized it as Cranston Print Works, which, in 1936, purchased the Slater East Village mill and print works in Webster.

This is the site of the original Slater cotton mill established circa 1812 by Samuel Slater. It was at this historic mill that Samuel Slater developed the first American cotton-spinning machine.

In 1977, Cranston Print Works restored and dedicated the clock tower in Slater’s memory.

And, Mr. Doyle said, the clock will once again be operational.

“It’s something. I’ve always noticed and recognized coming into town,” Mr. Doyle said. “It will be nice to see that it is still here.”

Hours before the clock tower ventured on its snail-like pace to its new home, admirers, onlookers, local historians and amateur shutterbugs were attracted to the fenced-off construction site.

Greg Vasale of Webster has seen at least 300 clock towers in Massachusetts and has been inside 200 of them. However, the Cranston Print Works tower is the first he has actually seen moved. He said he could not have been more thrilled.

“It is one of the oldest landmarks that we have left,” Mr. Vasale said. “There’s virtually nothing left in this town that is much older than the 1900s.”

Based on the brickwork, Mr. Vasale said he doesn’t think there was always a clock in the tower (because the opening on all four sides are the same, he said) but added that its clock (an E. Howard & Co. clock, the same company that made clocks for Trinity Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pa.; the Clock Tower Building in New York, N.Y.; and the Unitarian Church in Nantucket) was typically made in the mid to late 18th century.

While he loves the clock tower, Mr. Vasale said it is a disservice that there isn’t clocks on all fours sides of the tower and not just the side facing Route 16.

Peter Luchina and Lynn McLaughlin, two onlookers who were not there together but are both from Webster, said they hope the tower’s move, as well as East Village Square, symbolizes future progress for the town.

“Hopefully,” Mr. Luchina added, “It’s going to create some jobs in town and provide some tax relief for private homes.”